1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a track assembly for cutting tape used in turn up operations in the papermaking industry and particularly to a track assembly having removable sections to enable adjustment of the track assembly to different trim widths of paper spools.
2. Related Art
A few track assemblies known in the art are disclosed in Applicant""s U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,659,029; 4,783,018; 5,046,675; and Applicant""s U.S. application Ser. No. 09/421,702 filed on Oct. 20, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,634 on an improved track and flap assembly for cutting tape. Those track assemblies have a channel through which the tape moves and includes a brake section secured to the channel to frictionally engage the tape to control its movement. The channel terminates with a curved section supported by a supporting member and has a particular configuration for directing a cutting tape to attach to an empty spool. On occasions, the locations of the brake and the curved section with its supporting member need to be adjusted to accommodate for different trim widths of various spools of paper used in the papermaking industry. The trim width of a spool is the distance between a proximate end to a distal end of the spool, which is always less than the length of paper wrapped around the spool. In order to change the locations of the brake and the curved section, the assembly track must be taken apart to relocate the brake section and to move the curved section, and then reassembled. Those actions change the configuration of the curved section and its supporting member, which needs to be readjusted every time for every trim width. Accordingly, there is a need for a track assembly that permits relocation of the brake position and the curved section without changing the configuration of the curved section and its supporting member.
A primary function of the track assembly is to guide a cutting tape transversely across a moving web of paper being wound on a spool and transferring a web onto an empty spool by attaching a tape to an empty spool. In order to control the movement of the cutting tape that exits laterally from the channel, a brake section is used to frictionally engage the tape to reduce its speed. Applicant""s U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,634 provides a track and flap assembly that includes a compressible means or a foam material extending transversely over the channel to provide a controlled resistance against the cutting tape exiting to assist in control of the tape spooling on an empty spool. A plurality of flap members can be positioned between the foam material and the channel to provide for additional friction when the tape exits the channel. However, the occasional frictional wear between the foam block and the flap members is an undesirable effect. Accordingly, there is a need for a controlled resistance of the tape that has less frictional wear.
Additionally, the channel often gets contaminated from the surrounding environment. In order to prevent contamination, Applicant""s U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,634 provides a track and flap assembly that includes an air hose that directs air via passageway into the channel to inhibit contamination since contaminants may adversely affect the introduction of the tape through the guideway or channel, particularly since the adhesive is applied to the cutting tape and slides with its bottom adjacent the contact surface of the guideway picking up debris with the adhesive that adversely affects its adherence to the empty spool. However, air wasn""t provided throughout the entire track by the air hose. Accordingly, there is a need for a method for supplying air throughout the entire track to keep the track free from contaminants.
Furthermore, the channel often becomes heated due to the ambient condition of the location of the turn-up assembly adjacent the heated drier end of the paper making machines, these could be a pulper located beneath the paper reel and steam is added to such pulper causing increased heat and humidity and creating additional problems for the cutting tape traveling through the guideway. The prior art does not disclose or suggest a method for controlling the temperature of the channel. Accordingly, there is a need for a method for controlling the temperature of the channel.
The present invention provides for removable sections of the track, including brake means section, to enable addition, deletion or relocation of the brake means with respect to any variable trim width of a paper spool, and to enable relocation of the curved section and the supporting member along the track without changing their configuration.
The present invention also provides for a controlled resistance against the cutting tape through a single flap, double or triple flaps mounted on top of the channel to engage the tape when laterally exiting from the channel. Customizing of the frictional brake effect of the flaps may be achieved which are primarily dictated by machine speed, grade and calipers of the web.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a plurality of compressible means or flap members covering different portions of the channel. One flap member is secured to one side of the channel extending over a portion of the channel substantially less than the width of the channel. Another flap member is secured to the other side of the channel directly opposite from the one flap member and covering less than a substantial width of the channel without touching the other flap to minimize frictional wear between them. In order to provide for an enlarged seal of the channel to inhibit entry of contaminants into the channel from the surrounding environment and to assist in controlling the lateral movement of the cutting tape, a third flap member is secured to one side of the channel juxtaposed to and on top of the one flap member and extending substantially over the channel forming a complete seal therein.
The present invention provides a method for keeping the channel free from contaminants from the surroundings by supplying air to the entire channel by a plurality of air passages throughout the entire track located below the upper portion of the track and a respective number of passageways to fluidly communicate between the air passages and the channel. The distribution of air throughout the entire track by the air passages helps keep the cutting tape afloat by the positive pressure of the supplied air and thereby reducing friction between the tape and the channel.
A coolant can be pumped through the passages to help control the temperature of the channel, which is heated by the ambient conditions of the location of the turn-up assembly.
It is an object of the present invention to provide for a track assembly having a readily movable and adjustable brake section.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a track assembly having readily movable and adjustable curved section and its supporting member that maintain their configuration.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a track assembly having adjustable and movable brake and curved sections to accommodate for different web trim widths.
Still, it is a further object of the present invention to provide for a track assembly having flap means covering different portions of the channel to assist in controlling a tape exiting laterally from the channel.
It is a related object of the present invention to provide for a track assembly having a single flap member extending substantially over the channel to provide for frictional engagement with the tape.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a track assembly having a track including upper and lower portions and having a channel in the upper portion throughwhich a cutting tape moves, a plurality of spaced elongated air passages through the entire track located below the upper portion, a plurality of spaced passageways communicating fluidly between the passages and the channel for receiving compressed air to control the temperature of the channel and to keep the channel clean from contaminants.
Yet, it is another object of the present invention to provide for a track having an upper portion and having coolant passage located below the upper portion of the track for receiving a coolant at a lower temperature than the channel to control the temperature of the channel, which is frictionally heated by a cutting tape passing therethrough. Still other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the more detailed description that follows.
The present invention relates to an improved track assembly for guiding a cutting tape transversely across a moving web of paper being wound on a spool and transferring the cut web to an empty spool. The assembly includes an elongated fixed track support extending beyond the edge of a web and an elongated track having opposite ends adjacent side edges of a moving web for receiving a cutting tape into one open end and exiting out of the other open end. The track has upper and lower portions and a longitudinal channel or guideway formed in the upper portion throughwhich the cutting tape moves. Flap means including, in one embodiment of the present invention first and second elongated flap means, each being fastened to one side of the upper portion directly opposite from each other and extending toward each other, covering a portion of the channel. A third elongated flap means extends substantially over the channel and is disposed on top of the first and second flap means to form a complete seal therewith to assist in controlling the cutting tape exiting laterally from the channel to attach to an empty spool.
The flap means can be selected to increase or decrease tension in the cutting tape as it is being pulled out from the track. For example, varying the space covered by the flap means over the open channel may vary such tension, but debris is more likely to enter. Also, varying the pliability of the flap means changes the tension. The position of the flap means can also be selected so that more or less tension is applied at different portions along the track. The present invention provides softer flap means than the guideway of the prior art and as a consequence the flap means do not damage the edges of the cutting tape as it is being pulled out of the guideway. The track further includes a track carrier that has an elongated hollow and an upper portion for carrying the track. The track carrier is mounted on the elongated fixed support extending through the hollow.
Another embodiment of the present invention further includes a curved section positioned at the other open end of the track having a configuration for inverting the cutting tape to position an adhesive carried by the cutting tape upwardly and to be fed to a nip formed between the empty spool and a web driving spool, and supporting member for supporting the curved section and is slidably movable along the support. The curved section typically includes a pair of elongated flap means extending over the guideway to control the exit of the cutting tape. The exit direction of the tape can be controlled by making one flap means more pliable and longer than the other flap means, thereby permitting the cutting tape to exit laterally adjacent the less pliable flap means. The track also includes a brake means section detachably mounted on the track for frictionally engaging the tape. The track having a plurality of movable sections in proximity with the brake means section enabling addition, deletion or relocation of these sections to relocate the brake means section, the curved section and the supporting member without changing the configuration of the curved section and the supporting member to adjust for different trim widths of webs.
In a further embodiment in accord with the present invention, the track includes a plurality of spaced elongated air passages located below the upper portion of the track and a plurality of spaced passageways communicating fluidly between the air passages and the channel for receiving compressed air to inhibit entry into the channel of contaminants from the surrounding environment and to control the temperature of the channel.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the track includes coolant passages located below the upper portion of the track for receiving coolant at a lower temperature than the channel to control the temperature of the channel.
An alternative embodiment of the present invention has a single flap means fastened to one side of the upper portion and substantially extending over the channel to frictionally engage the tape when it exits transversely from the channel.